I'm glad that you found it useful. I may be doing another video on this cooker soon. I've had mine for many years and the mirror panels are beginning to delaminate. For a $500 item, it's maybe not lasting as long as one (I) might have hoped.
The reflectors are plastic surfaced with a reflective material. It's very clear (when you first buy the item) to the point where you can see your reflection in the surface like a mirror. Over time, the surface begins to weather a bit and loses the intensity of the focus point. But IMO that's not a bad thing. This device is VERY powerful and focuses light to a very small area. For most cooking - it's actually TOO focused to be practical. So the device somewhat improves in this way over time. I've had mine for about 5 years.
I think the best way to diffuse would be for these dishes to be able to be adjusted in a way where it could be defocused. I've never seen one built to be able to do that though. A way of diffusing that happens automatically whether people want it to or not is through the aging and weathering of the mirrored surface. That actually helps with this over power focus issue a bit
Hi Praxis, I've run a Solsource Classic for several years now, and I agree with much of what you say. I agree that the elevation adjustment device on the back of the cooker is one of its weaker features. I was interested to see that yours is designed slightly differently than mine. You say that you have tried tightening it a couple of times. Well mine uses something like a Quick Release hub spike, like you would find on a bike. You can manually adjust the screw length until the lever catches tightly enough to do the job. It works pretty well and does not slip. I don't think I can post a photo on here, so if you head over to the Solar Cooking UK Facebook Group page and make yourself known, I'll post a picture of it on there. I know someone who burned a hole in the bottom of a pot with a Solsource, so you are right about the fierce focus. Good for water, though, as you say. I've never managed to burn water.
Thanks for the comment! I actually think I have that same tightening knob as you. It's just like the type you use to release the front tire of a bike I've tightened it up a few times, but it's always just worked itself loose again after not too much time, so I just stopped using it because the sticks were so easy and also doubled up as rotational braces. It's still a great tool though. I love mine!
Thanks a lot! This was the most practical review on this type of solar cooker.
I'm glad that you found it useful. I may be doing another video on this cooker soon. I've had mine for many years and the mirror panels are beginning to delaminate. For a $500 item, it's maybe not lasting as long as one (I) might have hoped.
What type of reflector is used?
The reflectors are plastic surfaced with a reflective material. It's very clear (when you first buy the item) to the point where you can see your reflection in the surface like a mirror. Over time, the surface begins to weather a bit and loses the intensity of the focus point. But IMO that's not a bad thing. This device is VERY powerful and focuses light to a very small area. For most cooking - it's actually TOO focused to be practical. So the device somewhat improves in this way over time. I've had mine for about 5 years.
What are people using to diffuse the focal point? Flat cast iron?
I think the best way to diffuse would be for these dishes to be able to be adjusted in a way where it could be defocused. I've never seen one built to be able to do that though. A way of diffusing that happens automatically whether people want it to or not is through the aging and weathering of the mirrored surface. That actually helps with this over power focus issue a bit
Hi Praxis, I've run a Solsource Classic for several years now, and I agree with much of what you say. I agree that the elevation adjustment device on the back of the cooker is one of its weaker features. I was interested to see that yours is designed slightly differently than mine. You say that you have tried tightening it a couple of times. Well mine uses something like a Quick Release hub spike, like you would find on a bike. You can manually adjust the screw length until the lever catches tightly enough to do the job. It works pretty well and does not slip. I don't think I can post a photo on here, so if you head over to the Solar Cooking UK Facebook Group page and make yourself known, I'll post a picture of it on there. I know someone who burned a hole in the bottom of a pot with a Solsource, so you are right about the fierce focus. Good for water, though, as you say. I've never managed to burn water.
Thanks for the comment! I actually think I have that same tightening knob as you. It's just like the type you use to release the front tire of a bike I've tightened it up a few times, but it's always just worked itself loose again after not too much time, so I just stopped using it because the sticks were so easy and also doubled up as rotational braces. It's still a great tool though. I love mine!
😎👍